Search Results (542)

Relevance of the problem and aim of the work: Ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) affects physical, psychological, and social well-being and quality of life. One of the most frequently used surgical interventions for the treatment of temporomandibular joint ankylosis is interpositional arthroplasty, particularly in cases where joint preservation is feasible, with different autologous fats: dermis fat, buccal fat pad, and full thickness skin-subcutaneous fat. The aim of the work was to evaluate the efficiency of using different autologous fats in temporomandibular joint ankylosis treatment with interposition arthroplasty method. Materials and Methods: This systematic literature review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD420251038325). A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect databases using combinations of keywords: (temporomandibular joint disorders OR temporomandibular joint) AND (adipose tissue or autologous) AND (ankylosis OR arthroplasty). Inclusion criteria were clinical studies conducted on human subjects, written in English, that evaluated the use of autologous fat in interpositional arthroplasty for TMJ ankylosis. The main outcome measures included postoperative maximum mouth opening (MMO), pain intensity, and relative fat volume contraction. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool for randomized controlled trials and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale for cohort studies. Most included studies were of moderate to high quality. Results: A total of 20 publications were selected, including a total of 369 patients. In a qualitative analysis, the best results for maximal opening of mouth (MOM) at 3, 6, 12, and more than 12 months were obtained with dermal fat. After 3 months, the MOM was 40.0 ± 2.7 mm, after 6 months—40.80 ± 4.26 mm, after 12 months—41.9 ± 4.0 mm, after more than 12 months—43.5 mm. The lowest pain intensity was observed using dermal fat taken from the iliac crest region. The rate of volumetric fat shrinkage was greater using buccal fat pad than dermis fat. Conclusions: The most commonly used types of autologous fat in interposition arthroplasty in ankylosis are the following: dermal fat from the abdominal region (iliac crest, subumbilical area, groin), buccal fat pad and full-thickness subcutaneous fat. The best results after the surgical treatment of TMJ ankylosis with interposition arthroplasty are obtained using dermis fat. Full article

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogels exhibit temperature-responsive volume changes near physiological temperature, but their low mechanical strength in the swollen state limits use in structurally demanding biomedical applications. In this study, we systematically investigated poly(NIPAAm-co-acrylamide), P(NIPAAm-co-AAm), hydrogels with varying AAm-to-NIPAAm ratios to explore the compositional trade-offs between thermal responsiveness and mechanical performance. Hydrogels were synthesized under fixed crosslinker and water content conditions, and evaluated through compressive mechanical testing, thermal swelling analysis, and crosslinking density estimation. Our results show that increasing AAm content enhances mechanical strength and stiffness but reduces the magnitude of temperature-induced volumetric shrinkage. An intermediate comonomer formulation demonstrated an optimal balance, maintaining both sufficient mechanical integrity for transdermal microneedle insertion and a reversible volume transition. This study highlights the potential of compositional tuning in hydrogel systems to meet the competing demands of responsiveness and durability in advanced biomedical applications. Full article

This research provides a new systematic solution to the essential issue of self-noise interference in underwater acoustic sensing signals induced by unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) operating at sea. The self-noise pertains to the near-field interference noise generated by the growing diversity and volume of acoustic equipment utilized by USVs. The generating mechanism of self-noise is clarified, and a self-noise propagation model is developed to examine its three-dimensional coupling properties within spatiotemporal fluctuation environments in the time-frequency-space domain. On this premise, the YOLOv11 object identification framework is innovatively applied to the delay-Doppler (DD) feature maps of self-noise, thereby overcoming the constraints of traditional time-frequency spectral approaches in recognizing noise with delay spread and overlapping characteristics. A comprehensive comparison with traditional models like YOLOv8 and SSD reveals that the suggested delay-Doppler YOLO (DD-YOLO) algorithm attains an average accuracy of 87.0% in noise source identification. An enhanced denoising method, termed optimized time-frequency regularized overlapping group shrinkage (OTFROGS), is introduced, using structural sparsity alongside non-convex regularization techniques. Comparative experiments with traditional denoising methods, such as the normalized least mean square (NLMS) algorithm, wavelet threshold denoising (WTD), and the original time-frequency regularized overlapping group shrinkage (TFROGS), reveal that OTFROGS outperforms them in mitigating USV self-noise. This study offers a dependable technological approach for optimizing the performance of USV acoustic systems and proposes a theoretical framework and methodology applicable to different underwater acoustic sensing contexts. Full article

Cellulose aerogel is a promising thermal insulation material with terrific thermal insulation and environmental friendliness. However, the intrinsic flammability of polysaccharide molecules and dependence on freeze-drying have limited its application in flame-retardant and thermal management systems. Here, we develop a flame-retardant biomass aerogel based on a dual-network matrix of bacterial cellulose and sodium alginate. This innovative material enables high-efficiency and low-cost preparation via ambient pressure drying technology (only ~3.5% volume shrinkage), while achieving flame retardancy by introducing an inorganic nanosheet microstructure within a polymer matrix. The resulting dual-network flame-retardant cellulose aerogel demonstrates thermal performance superior to that of most polymer foams and conventional cellulose aerogels, featuring an ultra-low thermal conductivity of ~0.04 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ and a high limiting oxygen index (LOI) of ~69%. This research provides a novel strategy for simultaneous flame-retardant modification and energy-efficient manufacturing of biomass-derived aerogels. Full article

Background: Lattice Radiation Therapy (LRT), a spatially fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT) technique, has shown promising results in the palliative treatment of large tumors. The focus of our first analysis of 56 lesions ≥7 cm was on the extent of shrinkage following palliative LRT (mean 50%) and assessment of its effect duration (: mean 6 months). Herewith we present an updated analysis of our single-center LRT cohort, with a focus on LRT outcome across diagnoses and applied LRT regimens. Methods: We assessed the clinical outcome following LRT in 66 patients treated for 81 lesions between 01.2022 and 05.2025. LRT protocols included simultaneous integrated boost (sib-) LRT in 49 lesions (5 × 4–5 Gy to the entire mass with sib of 9–13 Gy to lattice vertices). Alternatively mainly in pre-irradiated and/or very large lesions—a single-fraction stereotactic LRT (SBRT-LRT) of 1 × 20 Gy to vertices only was delivered to 26 lesions. In six cases with modest response to single fraction SBRT-LRT, the sib-LRT schedule was added 4–8 weeks later. Results: The median age was 68 years (18–93). Main tumor locations were abdomino-pelvic (n = 34) and thoracic (n = 17). Histopathological diagnoses included carcinoma (n = 34), sarcoma (n = 31), and melanoma (n = 16). 31% of all lesions have been previously irradiated. 73% of cases underwent concurrent or peri-LRT systemic therapy. The mean/median overall survival (OS) time of the cohort was 7.6/4.6 months (0.4–40.2), 11.9/5.8 months in 16/66 alive, and 6.4/4.3 months in deceased patients, respectively. 82% of symptomatic patients reported immediate subjective improvement (PROM), with a lifelong response duration in most cases. Progressive disease (PD: >10% increase in initial volume) was found in 9%, stable disease (SD +/−10% of initial volume) in 19% of scanned lesions, and shrinkage (>10% reduction in initial volume) in 75%, with a mean/median tumor volume reduction of 51/60%. The extent of shrinkage was found to be 11–30%/31–60%/61–100% in 38/24/38% of lesions. Response rates (PD, SD, shrinkage) following the two applied LRT regimens, as well as those related to sarcoma and carcinoma diagnoses, were found to be comparable. Treatment tolerance was excellent (G0-1). Conclusions: Palliative LRT provides rapid subjective relief in ~80% of symptomatic patients. Radiologic shrinkage was stated in 75% of FU-scanned lesions, with a lifelong effect duration in most patients. LRT was found effective across histologies, with a similar extent of shrinkage in carcinoma and sarcoma following 1F SBRT- and 5F sib-LRT regimens, respectively. Full article

The hippocampus is a critical brain structure involved in episodic memory, spatial orientation, and stress regulation. Its volumetric shrinkage is among the earliest and most reliable indicators of both physiological brain aging and pathological neurodegeneration. Accurate segmentation and measurement of the hippocampal subregions from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is therefore essential for neurobiological age estimation and the early identification of at-risk individuals. In this study, we present a fully automated pipeline that leverages nnU-Net, a self-configuring deep learning framework, to segment the hippocampus from high-resolution 3D T1-weighted brain MRI scans. The primary objective of this work is to enable accurate estimation of brain age through quantitative analysis of hippocampal volume. By fusing domain knowledge in neuroanatomy with data-driven learning through a highly expressive and self-optimizing model, this work advances the methodological frontier for neuroimaging-based brain-age estimation. The proposed approach demonstrates that deep learning can serve as a reliable segmentation tool as well as a foundational layer in predictive neuroscience, supporting early detection of accelerated aging and subclinical neurodegenerative processes. Full article

The growing disposal of used tyres and plastic waste in landfills poses a significant environmental challenge. This study investigates the potential of utilizing used tyre rubber and macro-synthetic fibres (MSFs) made from recycled plastics in fibre-reinforced rubberized concrete (RuFRC). Various percentages of tyre rubber shreds were used to replace coarse aggregates, calculated as 10%, 20%, and 30% of the volume of fine aggregates; fibre dosages (0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1% by volume) were incorporated into the mix, and a series of physical, mechanical, and durability properties were evaluated. The results show that, as the fibre and rubber content increased, the slump of RuFRC decreased, with the lowest value obtained for concrete with 1% fibre and 30% rubber. The density of RuFRC decreases as the rubber percentage increases due to air voids and increased porosity caused by the rubber. The strength properties of RuFRC were found to decline with the increase in the rubber content, with mixes containing 30% rubber exhibiting reductions of about 60% in compressive strength, 27% in tensile strength, and 13% in flexural strength compared to the control specimen. Durability testing revealed that an increased rubber content led to higher water absorption, water penetration, and chloride ion permeability, with 30% rubber showing the highest values. However, lower rubber content (10%) and higher fibre dosages improved the durability characteristics, with water absorption reduced by up to 5% and shrinkage strains lowered by about 7%, indicating better compaction and bonding. These results indicate that RuFRC with moderate rubber and higher fibre content offers a promising balance between sustainability and performance. Full article

The global cement industry remains a significant contributor to carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, prompting substantial research efforts toward sustainable construction materials. Lithium slag (LS), a by-product of lithium extraction, has attracted attention as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM). This review synthesizes experimental findings on LS replacement levels, fresh-state behavior, mechanical performance (compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths), time-dependent deformation (shrinkage and creep), and durability (sulfate, acid, abrasion, and thermal) of LS-modified concretes. Statistical analysis identifies an optimal LS dosage of 20–30% (average 24%) for maximizing compressive strength and long-term durability, with 40% as a practical upper limit for tensile and flexural performance. Fresh-state tests show that workability losses at high LS content can be mitigated via superplasticizers. Drying shrinkage and creep strains decrease in a dose-dependent manner with up to 30% LS. High-volume (40%) LS blends achieve up to an 18% gain in 180-day compressive strength and >30% reduction in permeability metrics. Under elevated temperatures, 20% LS mixes retain up to 50% more residual strength than controls. In advanced systems—autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC), one-part geopolymers, and recycled aggregate composites—LS further enhances both microstructural densification and durability. In particular, LS emerges as a versatile SCM that optimizes mechanical and durability performance, supports material circularity, and reduces the carbon footprint. Full article

We have improved the efficiency of the protection of occupants of cars by effectively reducing the injury and mortality rate caused by accidents when using safety belts. To ensure the protection efficiency of the safety belt outlet cover, we tested and adjusted the following parameters: the filling time, flow-front temperature and switching pressure, injection position pressure, locking force, shear rate, shear force, air hole, melting mark, material flow freezing-layer factor, volume shrinkage rate during jacking out, coolant temperature and flow rate in the cooling stage, part temperature, mold temperature difference, deflection stage, warping deformation analysis, differential cooling, differential shrinkage, and directional effect. Full article

The Silurian marine shale in the Sichuan Basin is currently the main reservoir for shale gas reserves and production in China. This study investigates the reservoir evolution of the Silurian marine shale based on fractal dimension, quantifying the complexity and heterogeneity of the shale’s pore structure. Physical simulation experiments were conducted on field-collected shale samples, revealing the evolution of total organic carbon, mineral composition, porosity, and micro-fractures. The fractal dimension of shale pore was characterized using the Frenkel–Halsey–Hill and capillary bundle models. The relationships among shale components, porosity, and fractal dimensions were investigated through a correlation analysis and a principal component analysis. A comprehensive evolution model for porosity and micro-fractures was established. The evolution of mineral composition indicates a gradual increase in quartz content, accompanied by a decline in clay, feldspar, and carbonate minerals. The thermal evolution of organic matter is characterized by the formation of organic pores and shrinkage fractures on the surface of kerogen. Retained hydrocarbons undergo cracking in the late stages of thermal evolution, resulting in the formation of numerous nanometer-scale organic pores. The evolution of inorganic minerals is represented by compaction, dissolution, and the transformation of clay minerals. Throughout the simulation, porosity evolution exhibited distinct stages of rapid decline, notable increase, and relative stabilization. Both pore volume and specific surface area exhibit a trend of decreasing initially and then increasing during thermal evolution. However, pore volume slowly decreases after reaching its peak in the late overmature stage. Fractal dimensions derived from the Frenkel–Halsey–Hill model indicate that the surface roughness of pores (D1) in organic-rich shale is generally lower than the complexity of their internal structures (D2) across different maturity levels. Additionally, the average fractal dimension calculated based on the capillary bundle model is higher, suggesting that larger pores exhibit more complex structures. The correlation matrix indicates a co-evolution relationship between shale components and pore structure. Principal component analysis results show a close relationship between the porosity of inorganic pores, microfractures, and fractal dimension D2. The porosity of organic pores, the pore volume and specific surface area of the main pore size are closely related to fractal dimension D1. D1 serves as an indicator of pore development extent and characterizes the changes in components that are “consumed” or “generated” during the evolution process. Based on mineral composition, fractal dimensions, and pore structure evolution, a comprehensive model describing the evolution of pores and fractal dimensions in organic-rich shale was established. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aims to present a structured clinical workflow for offline adaptive Biology-guided Radiotherapy (BgRT) using the RefleXion X1 PET-linac system, addressing challenges introduced by inter-treatment anatomical and biological changes. Methods: We propose a decision tree offline adaptation framework based on real-time assessments of Activity Concentration (AC), Normalized Target Signal (NTS), and bounded dose-volume histogram (bDVH%) metrics. Three offline strategies were developed: (1) preemptive adaptation for minor changes, (2) partial re-simulation for moderate changes, and (3) full re-simulation for major anatomical or metabolic alterations. Two clinical cases demonstrating strategies 1 and 2 are presented. Results: The preemptive adaptation strategy was applied in a case with early tumor shrinkage, maintaining delivery parameters within acceptable limits while updating contours and dose distribution. In the partial re-Simulation case, significant changes in PET signal necessitated a same-day PET functional modeling session and plan re-optimization, effectively restoring safe deliverability. Both cases showed reduced target volumes and improved OAR sparing without additional patient visits or tracer injections. Conclusions: Offline adaptive workflows for BgRT provide practical solutions to address inter-fractional changes in tumor structure and function. These strategies can help maintain the safety and accuracy of BgRT delivery and support clinical adoption of PET-guided radiotherapy, paving the way for future online adaptive capabilities. Full article

This study elucidates the synergistic effects of polypropylene fiber and cement (physical–chemical) on stabilized expansive soil slurry. A comparative analysis was conducted on the fluidity, 28-day mechanical strength, and shrinkage properties (autogenous and drying) of slurries with different modifications. The underlying mechanisms were further investigated through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Results demonstrate that the cement addition substantially enhanced fluidity, mechanical strength, and early-age volume stability through hydration. However, it was insufficient to mitigate long-term drying shrinkage at low dosages. Conversely, incorporating 0.5% polypropylene fiber reduced slurry fluidity but markedly improved flexural strength. Crucially, a pronounced synergistic effect was observed in the co-modified slurry; the specimen with 20% cement and 0.5% fiber exhibited a 28-day drying shrinkage of only 0.57%, a performance comparable to the specimen with 60% cement and no fibers. Microstructural analysis revealed that cement hydration products created a robust fiber-matrix interfacial transition zone, evidenced by C-S-H gel enrichment. This enhanced interface enabled the fibers to effectively bridge microcracks and restrain both autogenous and drying shrinkage. This research validates that the combined cement–fiber approach is a highly effective strategy for improving expansive soil slurry, yielding critical enhancements in flexural performance and long-term dimensional stability while allowing for a significant reduction in cement content. Full article

This study employs advanced numerical simulation to investigate the influence of shelf temperature on the freeze-drying kinetics and product quality of Cordyceps militaris. Emphasis is placed on the glass transition and structural collapse mechanisms during the primary drying stage. A detailed computational model was developed to predict temperature profiles, glass transition temperature, collapse temperature, and moisture distribution under varying process conditions. Simulation results indicate that maintaining the shelf temperature below 10 °C minimizes the risk of structural collapse and volume shrinkage while improving drying efficiency and product stability. Based on the model, an optimal freeze-drying protocol is proposed: shelf heating at 0 °C, condenser plate at −32 °C, and chamber pressure at 35 Pa. Experimental validation confirmed the feasibility of this regime, yielding a shrinkage of 9.52%, a color difference (ΔE) of 4.86, water activity of 0.364 ± 0.018, and a rehydration ratio of 55.14 ± 0.789%. Key bioactive compounds, including adenosine and cordycepin, were well preserved. These findings underscore the critical role of simulation in process design and optimization, contributing to the development of efficient and high-quality freeze-dried functional food products. Full article

This study focuses on the development of high-performance composite cementitious materials for offshore engineering applications, addressing the critical challenges of durability, environmental degradation, and carbon emissions. By incorporating polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCE) and combining fly ash (FA), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), and silica fume (SF) in various proportions, composite mortars were designed and evaluated. A series of laboratory tests were conducted to assess workability, mechanical properties, volume stability, and durability under simulated marine conditions. The results demonstrate that the optimized composite exhibits superior performance in terms of strength development, shrinkage control, and resistance to chloride penetration and freeze–thaw cycles. Microstructural analysis further reveals that the enhanced performance is attributed to the formation of additional calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) gel and a denser internal matrix resulting from secondary hydration. These findings suggest that the proposed material holds significant potential for enhancing the long-term durability and sustainability of marine infrastructure. Full article

This study presents a performance-based concrete mix design methodology rooted in the paste–aggregate binary framework, aiming to reduce binder content while ensuring optimal workability and strength. We found that inter-particle spacing (SPT) and paste rheology jointly govern fresh concrete behavior, with slump increasing nonlinearly with SPT and a critical transition zone around 20–35 µm; paste yield stress controls slump, while plastic viscosity governs segregation resistance. A two-level strength model was developed to predict concrete strength from paste properties based on compactness and hydration (R² = 0.90). Fixing SPT at 25 µm was identified as optimal for achieving balanced flowability with minimal paste volume. This approach effectively decouples aggregate packing optimization from paste calibration, offering a physically interpretable and practical framework for designing sustainable, low-carbon, and low-shrinkage concrete. Full article